TRENDING: Robots And Humans Join Forces To Speed eCommerce

Companies recognize the need for IoT security, but few are acting on those concerns.

According to a recent survey, 97 percent of respondents said an attack on unsecured devices would be devastating to their organizations. However, less than a third are actually vigilant about monitoring for third-party related risks.

Despite the security risks, the popularity of IoT seems unlikely to abate. To meet this, more providers are now rolling out security solutions for use cases spanning from supply chain fulfillment to predictive maintenance.

The April Intelligence of Things Tracker reports on the latest developments in the space, including new security offerings as well as new IoT applications in global trade.

A Look Around the IoT World

In the quest to protect unsecured IoT devices, Microsoft recently announced a new security solution intended for microcontroller unit-powered IoT devices. The solution, Azure Sphere, includes three elements: a new microcontroller unit chip, a customized Linux-based operating system and a turnkey cloud security service.

Microsoft isn’t the only company upping its game. U.S.-Israeli firm Armis recently raised $30 million in new funding. The company said it plans to use the funds to advance its sales and marketing, further develop its security platform and increase its ability to supply advanced technologies to security companies’ IoT-related digital transformation efforts.

New funding also came to Contguard, a supply chain shipment monitoring and business intelligence services company. Contguard’s technology is designed to help manufacturers and suppliers participating in global trade to better track their goods during transit. The company said the funding would be utilized to scale and develop its technology.

Get the full scoop and more of the latest IoT headlines in the Tracker.

Warehouse Robotics for the eCommerce Rush

Customers who shop online want their goods fast, if the more than 100 million consumers who have signed up for Amazon Prime are any indicator.

But providing same-day delivery means getting goods out of warehouses as fast as possible — and the current warehouse labor shortage makes that a big challenge. Some companies try to beef up slim workforces by adding conveyor belts and other large-scale, fixed-in-place automation to help move products.

But that often means a lengthy installation process, high price tag and risky gamble that customer expectations and business models won’t shift in a way that makes those installations outdated, said Christopher Cacioppo, chief technology officer of order fulfillment automation service provider 6 River Systems. In the latest IoT Tracker, Cacioppo spoke to PYMNTS about how warehouse robot assistants can be a safer bet to help warehouses up their speed while staying flexible to changing business trends.

“Robotics is very flexible,” Cacioppo said. “You want to change your operations? We can just remap your robots, give them different areas to be in and they’ll take on the new work you have.”

The Intelligence of Things Tracker showcases companies that are leading the way in all aspects of the Intelligence of Things. Every month, the Tracker looks at what these companies are doing across the ecosystem and in several categories, including Personal, Home, Retail, Transportation, Wearable, Mobile, Infrastructure, Data and more.